Army Corps, Waste Management outline fire‑debris handling at Simi Valley Landfill; air monitoring, truck traffic discussed
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Summary
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Waste Management briefed the Simi Valley City Council on how fire ash and debris from recent wildfires are being handled, screened and transported to lined landfills, outlining wet‑handling methods, asbestos testing and truck routing to limit dust and other risks.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Waste Management briefed the Simi Valley City Council on efforts to collect, screen and dispose of fire ash and debris from the January fires, and on safeguards used to limit airborne dust and other public‑health risks.
The briefing, led by Colonel Eric R. Swenson of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Nicole Stetson, district manager for the Simi Valley Landfill, described a staged cleanup: the EPA-led removal of household hazardous materials, asbestos testing and removal where found, and the wet transport of remaining ash and debris to lined landfills including Simi Valley, Sunshine Canyon and Calabasas.
Why it matters: Residents and council members raised concerns about air quality, heavy truck traffic and the long‑term effects of placing large volumes of fire debris in a local landfill. City officials sought details on monitoring, material screening, landfill capacity and how long the truck traffic would continue.
What presenters said: The Corps said EPA crews remove propane tanks, lithium‑ion batteries, paints and other household hazardous materials before structural ash is loaded for transport. “We are using what we call the wet method. So, everything is kept wet, so there is no fugitive dust that escapes into the air,” Stetson said as she described the detarping and inspection procedures at landfill scales.
Colonel Swenson described asbestos screening at each parcel’s foundation and said certified asbestos consultants and laboratories analyze chip tests; any asbestos identified is removed by licensed crews and sent to permitted asbestos facilities. He said recyclable materials such as concrete and metal are separated and diverted where safe to do so.
On monitoring and safety: Council members pressed for specifics about air monitoring and testing frequency. Swenson said crews use personal monitors in ash footprints, perimeter monitors near neighborhoods and “sensitive site” monitors at locations such as reoccupied schools and senior centers; the Corps said it has maintained readings “well below” action thresholds during operations. Waste Management said the landfill has a dust control plan approved by Ventura County and the Air Pollution Control District, deploys water trucks and sweepers, and detarping and truck‑inspection steps are carried out before material is dumped.
Capacity and impacts: Waste Management estimated the fire debris would consume roughly one year of the Simi Valley Landfill’s remaining capacity and said the company has not exceeded permitted daily intake limits. Company staff described a separate, designated disposal area and added that they had hired additional employees and built temporary site infrastructure to manage volumes and minimize on‑site queuing.
Questions from council: Council members asked whether tests have found heavy metals or persistent contaminants. Presenters said state and local agencies regulate accepted landfills and that modern lined landfills and groundwater monitoring wells are designed to detect any leachate; they described quarterly and semiannual groundwater sampling programs and said remediation plans would be implemented if monitoring found problems.
Truck traffic and timeline: Council members asked how long heavy truck traffic would continue. The Corps said operations were ahead of schedule and projected a substantial decline in hauling by mid‑summer, with most primary debris removal complete months before the contract deadline.
Community concerns and next steps: Several council members asked for continued transparency and for independent air monitoring; presenters said they would continue to coordinate with county and state regulators and to provide data. Council members urged staff to keep the community apprised of monitoring results and traffic mitigation measures.
Ending: The council thanked the Corps and Waste Management for the presentation and the time spent answering detailed questions from residents and elected officials.
